Chapter 12 - The Night Rosa Took Back Her Table|
Luca could have ordered someone to break into the Ash Street workshop that night.
With the resources available to him, I knew he could have done far worse.
But Gideon insisted that evidence collected carelessly could become difficult to use in court.
Abigail agreed.
Instead, they contacted the appropriate investigators, preserved the recovered recordings, and arranged an emergency meeting concerning the foundation's disputed assets.
By the following afternoon, the Moretti family was preparing for another gathering in the dining room.
This time, there would be no elegant dinner guests.
There would be no champagne.
And there would be no pretending that the family was happy.
Abigail had formally requested that Julian Cross appear to address the disputed authorizations and financial transfers.
Vanessa insisted on attending.
Gideon remained present as an observer.
Olivia and Matteo sat on either side of their mother.
And Luca did something that made my heart ache.
He placed Frank's empty chair at the head of the table.
Then he pulled out Rosa's chair beside it.
"Mama, this is where you belong."
Rosa lowered herself into the seat.
She wore a dark blue dress and the pearl necklace Frank had given her on their fortieth wedding anniversary.
Her silver hair was pinned neatly.
She looked frightened.
But she also looked determined.
"Claire," she whispered, "will you sit with me?"
I hesitated.
"Mrs. Rosa, this is a family meeting."
She reached for my hand.
"And you're the one who reminded my family I was still here."
Luca pulled out the chair beside her.
"Please sit, Claire."
I did.
A few minutes later, Vanessa entered with Julian Cross.
Cross wore an expensive charcoal suit and carried a leather briefcase.
He looked around the room.
"This seems unnecessarily confrontational."
Abigail gestured toward the empty chairs.
"Please sit down."
Vanessa glanced at Rosa.
Then her eyes moved toward Frank's chair.
For a moment, she looked uncomfortable.
"Why is that chair empty?"
Luca answered.
"Because it belonged to my father."
Vanessa folded her arms.
"How sentimental."
Rosa looked directly at her.
"Sentiment is not a weakness, Vanessa."
The room became silent.
Vanessa blinked.
It was the first time I'd heard Rosa challenge her so openly.
Abigail began the meeting.
She presented the nursing facility authorization.
Then the false medical assessments.
Then the documents transferring authority over Rosa's foundation interests.
Cross examined the paperwork without changing his expression.
"These are preliminary instruments."
Abigail looked at him.
"Several were submitted as executed documents."
"Administrative errors."
"Multiple forged signatures are not administrative errors."
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Here we go again."
Abigail continued.
"Mrs. Moretti has never consented to the proposed transfer of authority."
Cross glanced at Rosa.
"With respect, her capacity to make complex financial decisions is in question."
Olivia leaned forward.
"On what medical evidence?"
Cross hesitated.
"The assessments provided to our office."
"From a physician who never examined her?"
Cross looked irritated.
"I'm not a doctor."
"No," Olivia replied.
"But I am."
She placed a folder on the table.
"And I've reviewed the records with Mama's independent physician."
Rosa sat straighter.
Abigail turned toward her.
"Rosa, would you like to speak?"
The elderly woman took a breath.
Then she looked around the table.
"My name is Rosa Moretti."
Vanessa gave an impatient sigh.
Rosa continued anyway.
"I am eighty-three years old."
"Sometimes I forget where I leave my glasses."
Matteo smiled faintly.
"Sometimes I forget why I walked into a room."
Olivia reached for her hand.
"But I know my children."
Rosa looked at Luca.
"I know my home."
She turned toward Vanessa.
"And I know the difference between being cared for and being controlled."
Nobody spoke.
Rosa's voice trembled, but she continued.
"I did not ask to go to a nursing home."
"I did not authorize anyone to sell or transfer my rights."
"And I did not give anyone permission to make me disappear from my own family."
I felt tears filling my eyes.
Vanessa looked away.
Rosa leaned forward.
"Frank and I built the foundation to help people."
She pointed toward the financial records.
"If money was taken, I want it returned."
Then she added something I would never forget.
"And if someone believes I am too old to stand up for myself, they are welcome to watch me try."
Matteo wiped his eyes.
Olivia smiled through her tears.
Luca looked at his mother with unmistakable pride.
Abigail nodded.
"Thank you, Rosa."
Cross began closing his briefcase.
"I don't believe this discussion is productive."
Luca turned toward him.
"Then perhaps you can explain the three-point-two million dollars."
Cross paused.
Abigail placed copies of Frank's records on the table.
"Payments were directed to Bellwether Consulting Group."
Vanessa's face tightened.
"Those were legitimate business transactions."
"Then provide the contracts and evidence of services performed," Abigail replied.
Cross looked at the papers.
"We'll respond through counsel."
Luca leaned forward.
"Papa asked for those records before he died."
Cross looked up sharply.
Luca continued.
"He also recorded your explanation."
For the first time, Cross seemed genuinely unsettled.
Vanessa stared at Luca.
"What recording?"
Gideon said nothing.
Abigail closed the folder.
"The disputed records have been preserved, and the relevant authorities have been notified."
Cross stood abruptly.
"I advise my client not to say another word."
Vanessa looked furious.
"You told me those recordings were gone!"
The room fell silent.
Cross slowly turned toward her.
"Vanessa."
She stopped.
Too late.
Luca stared at them.
"What recordings?"
Vanessa pushed her chair backward.
"This is ridiculous."
She stood.
"I'm not staying here to be interrogated."
Rosa looked up at her.
"Before you go, I have one question."
Vanessa froze.
Rosa's voice was quiet.
"Why did you tell me I wasn't allowed to eat with my family?"
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Because you kept asking questions about your husband's death!"
Nobody moved.
Vanessa realized what she'd said.
Her face went pale.
Rosa looked at her.
"Was that why you wanted me gone?"
Vanessa said nothing.
Rosa's eyes filled with tears.
"Because I remembered too much?"
Cross grabbed his briefcase.
"We're leaving."
He hurried toward the door.
Vanessa followed.
Luca didn't stop them.
But Gideon's phone suddenly vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
"Anthony."
The security chief stepped forward.
"Sir?"
Gideon spoke quickly.
"Contact the investigators."
Luca turned.
"What's happening?"
Gideon showed him a message from the technician monitoring the archive.
Someone had entered the Ash Street workshop.
The scheduled deletion had been moved forward.
And an unauthorized device was connected to the storage system.
Matteo rose.
"Cross?"
Gideon looked toward the hallway.
"We need to find out."
At that moment, Anthony received a call from the security team watching the property.
He listened.
Then his face drained of color.
"What is it?" Luca demanded.
Anthony lowered the phone.
"Sir, there's smoke coming from the old workshop."
Rosa let out a frightened gasp.
Luca looked toward his father's empty chair.
May you like
Then he turned toward the door.
"They couldn't silence my father while he was alive, so now they're trying to burn whatever he left behind."
